# Poll: What gender do you associate with these names? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921 "2009-06-06T13:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/61 "2009-06-08T02:46:13Z")
Dylan: male Stacy: female, but I wouldn’t say anything to Stacey Keach because Mike Hammer would stomp on my liver. Kendall: I don’t think I have ever met anyone with that name but my first thought would be female. Devon: Again I don’t think I have ever met anyone with the name but my first thought would be it shouldn’t be a name for a human but if you force me, male. For reference I am a 42 year old male. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/62 "2009-06-08T02:46:20Z")
Tracy was a hugely popular girl’s name in England in the 1960s-80s, btw, enough that you would never have named a boy Tracy if you lived in the UK - unless you secretly hated the child. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/63 "2009-06-08T02:51:31Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > It’s the “elle” sound. Michelle, Chaundel, Danielle, Gabriele… Sure, you’ve got Randall, Mitchel, and Montel, but I don’t know anyone named those. I know about 10 gazillion Michelles. > > I would have guessed it was an amalgam of Candace and Michelle, myself. But to my ear (and mind), the emphasis being on “Ken”, “Rand” or “Mitch” makes “KEN-d’l”, “RAN-d’l” and “MITCH-'l” (the “-all” or “-ell” ending getting swallowed to sound like “kindle” or “spindle”) feel very different from Mi-SHELL or Dan-YELL. Anyway it’s clear the majority of this country by now consider “Kendall” at least as, if not significantly more likely to be a little girl’s name as a little boy’s name (if not “a [presumably adult] big redneck guy”)… So the fella’s gonna either do some ‘splainin’ or get used to dubbing himself “Ken” or “Kenny” when he gets older. I predict the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/64 "2009-06-08T18:50:51Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > It’s the “elle” sound. Michelle, Chaundel, Danielle, Gabriele… Sure, you’ve got Randall, Mitchel, and Montel, but I don’t know anyone named those. I know about 10 gazillion Michelles. > > I would have guessed it was an amalgam of Candace and Michelle, myself. All of the female names you mentioned (a) have the accent on the last syllable and (b) have an “el” spelling, not an “al” spelling. I’ve never encountered Kendall as a girl’s name, but even if I hadn’t met a number of male Kendalls, I’d automatically assume it to be a boy’s name because of the structure and sound (and the accent on the “Ken”). If it was “Kendelle” (accent on the “elle”), I’d assume girl. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/65 "2009-06-08T20:07:51Z")
They’re all legit for either sex but: Dylan - Predominantly male, but increasingly female Kendall - Predominantly female Stacy (Stacey) - Overwhelmingly predominantly female Devon (Devin, Devyn) - Predominantly female ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/66 "2009-06-08T20:51:50Z")
Dylan - Male but I know a girl named Dylan Kendall - Female Stacy - Female Devin - Totally a girl’s name ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/67 "2009-06-08T21:32:24Z")
boy, boy, girl, boy Yet I knew a girl Devon growing up. Still a boy name. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/68 "2009-06-08T21:50:00Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > “[Tracy](http://www.yeahbaby.com/baby-names-popularity.php?name=Tracy)” is an interesting case too (and what I was actually thinking of, not “Stacy”, when I wrote my OP but I couldn’t take it back). It first shows up as a girl’s name in the 1940s (it had previously been a rather rare boy’s name), and very quickly gained parity: between 1950-1959, it was the 298th most popular boy’s name and the 250th most popular girl’s name. (Interestingly, even as there was an enormous surge in popularity for “Tracy” as a girl’s name, it was also the most popular it had ever been as a boy’s name – it was just suddenly a much more popular name, period.) I’ve read (and [this site](http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Tracy) agrees) that the popularity of “Tracy” as a girl’s name stems from Katharine Hepburn’s 1940 portrayal of Tracy Lord in _The Philadelphia Story_. ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/69 "2009-06-09T03:40:46Z")
Emma = Female ---
**Author:** ![judikium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@judikium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/judikium)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/70 "2009-06-09T19:18:53Z")
Dylan: Male. Kendall: Female. I cannot think of a male Kendall I have ever known. Stacy/Stacey: Female. Devon: Male. Devin/Devyn: Female. (Yes, for some reason the vowel change alters my view. I think I have known one male Devon and one female Devyn - and no others.) ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/71 "2009-06-09T19:39:32Z")
Dylan - Predominantly Male Kendall - Male Stacy (Stacey) - Female Devon (Devin, Devyn) - Male ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/72 "2009-06-16T17:33:49Z")
Dylan - equally unisex Kendall - only male Stacy (Stacey) - predominantly female Devon (Devin, Devyn) - predominantly female I’m a dude, age 44. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/73 "2009-06-17T02:03:56Z")
All boys names except Stacy. I’m male, 33. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/74 "2009-06-17T02:26:15Z")
My associations Dylan -Male but can go female, but she’ll be a tomboy if it’s a female. Kendall -Female but could be the other. I’d give it 60-40 odds of Female. Stacy (Stacey) -Female 95% Devon (Devin, Devyn)-Male to the first two spellings, and never seen the 3rd one. If it’s a female, I automatically associate it w/ Porn for some reason. So male but could be female potentially. Dude- age 24 ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/75 "2009-06-17T03:21:52Z")
Dylan - mostly male Kendall - I babysat a Kendall ib the mid-Eighties and a friend’s sister is one. Both are female. Stacy - I do know a few female Stacy’s and I dated a male one. Of course I know about Stacey Keach since we share a last name! Both on that one. Devon - both. I know a female and I know of Devon Sawa the actor. My actual first name is a M/F one as well and I shared it with my dad. Caused a bit of confusion with Motor Vehicle! I use the middle one and always have. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/76 "2009-06-17T07:48:17Z")
Dylan - Female Kendall - Female Stacey - Female Devon - Female The thing is once one girl takes a name, it becomes a girl’s name. Names like Chris and Terry(i) don’t count because they are short for names. Girls aren’t named Christopher and boys aren’t named Christine, for example. So all parents do by giving a girl a boy’s name is create the next generation of Staceys (names that were male and now aren’t) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/77 "2009-06-17T09:13:13Z")
Dylan - Male (my cousin) Kendall - Female (classmate) Stacey - Female (sister’s classmate) Devon - Male (classmate) As for Markxxx: Then every name that isn’t short for something is female. There’s always at least one person who will name their girl a guy’s name. I will point out that Mark is also short for Marcella, but by your own admission, that doesn’t count. But neither does Bobbi… ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/78 "2009-06-17T10:21:50Z")
> [@PsychoNoddy](#): > > \ > Dylan - exclusively male > Kendall - exclusively female > Stacey - exclusively female > Devon - not an appropriate name for a human. Like salami, it would be an OK name for a pig. Just as he said. Of course, there probably are people who would call their kid ‘Salami’, too, but I can’t believe we’d honestly spend time asking if it was a masculine or feminine name. (Female, 35, and - for the record - absolutely not named ‘Devon’, thank goodness.) ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921/79 "2009-06-17T11:00:18Z")
Dylan - boy Kendall - girl Stacy (Stacey) - girl Devon (Devin, Devyn) - girl Will go back and read the thread now! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-what-gender-do-you-associate-with-these-names/498921.md?page=3)